Jack Whitehall struggled not being a 'fan girl' around Eva Longoria

Jack Whitehall tried his best to avoid being a "fan girl" whilst working with Eva Longoria on 'Decline and Fall', despite having a huge "teenage crush" on her during her time on 'Desperate housewives'

Jack Whitehall had to avoid being a "fan girl" whilst working with Eva Longoria on 'Decline and Fall'.

The 28-year-old comedian and actor portrays teacher Paul Pennyfeather in the BBC One comedy drama alongside the 42-year-old brunette beauty, who plays Honourable Mrs Margot Beste-Chetwynde, and he has admitted he had to be "strict" on himself and to play it cool when he was on set with his "teenage crush", although he "geeked out" over her on the odd occasion.

Speaking to The Sun Online about his co-star and the former 'Desperate Housewives' actress, he said: "It was very exciting -- she was my ¬teenage crush.

"I watched 'Desperate Housewives' religiously when I was at school and I fancied her so much.

"It was quite weird that I was doing this show with her and, yes, it was hard to control myself.

"I had a few moments where I kind of geeked out about her.

"I was pretty strict with myself -- not too fan-girl, but I genuinely loved Desperate Housewives.

"I just loved it as a show, I really did."

And the British star was stunned by Eva's hectic work schedule, which she managed to juggle whilst filming the three-part programme.

He gushed: "Her life is amazing. One weekend we ¬finished on set and she jetted off to America to do a speech at Hillary Clinton's Democratic convention on the same weekend I went to do a voiceover for Asda.

"She was also launching a clothing range during the shoot, she was speaking to loads of charities and jetting round the world. She has a pretty mad schedule."

However, a slight glance of Eva's husband José Antonio Bastón, who accompanied his spouse on set, was enough to prevent Jack from wooing his colleague.

Speaking previously, he said: "Her husband was on the set most of the time, and he was literally the coolest and sexiest man I have ever seen. So I spent most of my scenes when I was wooing her looking at him and feeling totally emasculated. Which was probably quite good for the character."